Women all over the world are celebrating today what it means to be the fairer sex but also reflecting on how far they have come, and hopes for what can be achieved in the future.

Every year the Zonta Club of Alice Springs and the Rotary Club of Stuart mark the occasion with a barbeque breakfast at the Old Gaol.

This year's guest speaker was aspiring leader Donna Lemon.

Donna was born and bred in Alice Springs and says the best think about being a woman in Central Australia is the opportunities available.

"Especially to us as working mothers, there are lots of organisations in our community that allow us to be flexible when it comes to our families, and to have that great balance between personal and professional."

This year's theme is Supporting Women's Economic Empowerment and Donna says that women are now considered the money makers,

"A lot of that has to do with the fact that a lot of them go back to school, they study again, and they've got opportunities and access to various programs that help them to develop their skills and underpinning knowledge."

She says it's up to women like herself to guide the next generation of women towards a better future.

"I certainly follow the legacy that my mother laid for me and the foundations that she put in place, and it's up to the women of today to lay that foundation and further pave the way for our young women... to say well we're here for you if you need us you know where to find us."